Confused about Big Data? You're not the only one. For most small business owners, Big Data is one big mystery. And if you don't understand Big Data, you probably also have no clue how this type of intelligence gathering works or how to start extracti...

Vine's meteoric rise through the social media world comes as little surprise to anyone who's browsed through the looping six-second video clips that define the app. When Twitter acquired Vine in October 2012 -- before the app had even launched -- the...

TweetDeck's development path might look more like a roller coaster than the typical incline, but it's for good reason. After Twitter bought the app in 2011, TweetDeck pulled support for various social networks -- most recently Facebook -- and dropped...

When Google+ entered the social space in 2011, it was met largely with skepticism. Joining a crowded field with platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, many users questioned the need for another social network. But roughly two years later, Google+ ha...

Digital music might not have the same allure as sitting down to listen to a record on your turntable, but what it lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for in convenience -- especially when you aren't home with your collection. It's been five years since ...

If you’re a social media novice, hashtags -- those short links preceded by the pound sign (#) -- may seem confusing and unnecessary. But they are integral to the way we communicate online, and it’s important to know how to use them (even though some ...

Juggling multiple social media accounts across several networks can get hectic, especially when there's a fine line between a manageable number of browser tabs and a terrible guessing game. Self-respecting social media addicts should test the many ma...

You can learn a lot about a person by browsing her record collection, scrolling through her iTunes library or checking out her playlists. Listening to music is a highly personal experience, and one of the perks of streaming is finding the one that be...

If you've felt the crush of information overload and wanted to get organized, it's time to check out Evernote. The cloud-stored notebook has a strong presence as both a computer and mobile app, along with a web platform, so you can access one organiz...

At its very essence, StumbleUpon is a content discovery tool tailored to your personal interests. If you haven't visited the site in a while, you'll most likely be impressed -- and overwhelmed -- by what you find. The latest redesign integrates brand...

Update: This post was updated October 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. Congratulations! All that time you’ve spent coaxing your HTML to transform your blank, white and Times New Roman font-filled web page to something that vaguely repres...

Update: This post was updated October 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. Native Gmail users have become so adapted to the service, it's hard to think anyone doesn't know the basics. Luckily, Google supplies us with practically unlimited da...

Whether it's keeping up on the latest web memes on Reddit or Tumblr, following your favorite comedians on Twitter, profesionally networking on LinkedIn, or staying in touch with college friends on Facebook, social media has become an integrated and c...

Update: This post was updated November 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. Do you have a parent, friend or colleague ready to ditch his or her digital training wheels and head into Twitter's open wilderness? These pointers should get them s...

Tumblr is a micro-blogging platform that churns out millions of posts on a daily basis. There are currently 108.6 million blogs on Tumblr, which might seem intimidating to anyone not already using it. Tumblr could be useful to you for many reasons, d...

Update: This post was updated November 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. Even if you don't use Instagram, we're guessing you've encountered an Instagram image somewhere on the web -- even if you didn't realize it. Instagram's calling card...

Update: This post was updated October 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. LinkedIn is considered the non-sexy, sleeping giant of social networks. It keeps a low profile, perhaps due to the professional nature of its users. Nonetheless, Link...

Update: This post was updated October 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. Against all odds, you likely know someone who still hasn't succumbed to the lure of Facebook. Maybe you’re a beginner yourself. Or perhaps you just haven’t had the go...

Update: This post was updated October 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. Sure, Etsy's been around since 2005, but not everyone is hip to the ecommerce site. No worries, we've provided an overview of all the great features Etsy has to offer...

Update: This post was updated October 2013 to reflect current statistics and tools. You've probably heard a lot about Pinterest over the last couple of years. Not only did the company complete $200 million in venture funding, but the site's popularit...

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